Design/Build+Installation

When Traven Pelletier acquired Lotus Gardenscapes in 2015, the size of his landscape company, Bloom Garden Center & Elemental Design, grew from $1 million to $2 million overnight. He realized he would have to implement a set of systems to split his focus between being an owner managing a now-doubled company and a designer trying to uphold his creative passion.... read more

Chicago-based startup LandscapeHub, an online platform for buying and selling nursery and landscape goods, raised $4.4 million in seed funding led by Chicago Ventures with participation from Hyde Park Venture Partners, Hyde Park Angels and individual investors. LandscapeHub also secured $1 million in venture debt from Silicon Valley Bank. The company will use the funding to continue building its platform,... read more

FX Luminaire unveiled the DX controller, a low-voltage lighting controller. It’s operated via a digital facepack and includes astronomical timing and event-based programming capabilities, eliminating the need for plug-in accessories such as timers and photocells, according to the company. The DX comes with a full-color LCD display, and an optional add-on 9V battery adapter allows for pre-installation programming, saving contractors... read more

Using proper safety protocols around trenches is literally a life-and-death matter. Read on to ensure you’re following the guidelines. Last month, New Jersey landscape company officials pleaded guilty to criminal charges of failing to properly shore up a trench that caved in, suffocating two laborers. The charges against the company and two individuals are punishable upon conviction by up to... read more

DynaScape Software released its spring update to Manage360, Design and Color products. It also unveiled mobile crew tracking capabilities. Now available in the Apple and Google Play app stores, DynaScape’s crew tracking app is an add-on to Manage360. It’s geared toward the foreman/crew leader. It’s operational, even in cellular dead zones, said the company. Key features include: Editable clock in... read more

WAC Landscape Lighting introduced its LED Mini Wall Washer. The product is engineered to withstand the elements and illuminate exterior spaces—such as shrubbery, walls, facades and other outdoor areas—with integrated LED modules for maximum energy efficiency, according to WAC Landscape Lighting. The washer features an integral dimmer to adjust brightness and delivers a wide uniform distribution from a small form... read more